Timer



July 14, 1942. V c, ANDERSON 2,289,565

I TIMER Filed July 19, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 INVENTOR. G 2 CARL LUDW/GANDERSON A TTORNEY S.

July 14, 1942. c. 1.. ANDERSON 2,289,565

- TIMER Filed July 19, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 CI IRL LUDWIG HNDERS ONATTORNEYS.

July 14, 1942. c. ANDERSON TIMER Filed July 19, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3FIG. 4

INVENTOR. (,WRL LUDl/IG fl/VDERSON fl T TOR/V5 Y y 14, 1942- c. L.ANDERSON 2,289,565

TIMER Filed July 19, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I06 FIG.

INVENTOR. k J CHRL LUDW/G ANDERSON BY HQ ywwww.

ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMER CarlLudwig Anderson. Moline, Ill., assignor to Eagle Signal Corporation,Moline, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 19, 1940,Serial No. 346,383

7 Claims.

this invention are suited for controlling the pe- 3 riods ofenergization and shut down of electric circuits, for controlling relays,for turning valves in gas or liquid lines, and for other relatedservice. This invention further relates to a snap switch of particularutility in conjunction with the timer of this invention.

It has been common in the art to construct cycle timers having a camshaft driven in one direction by a motor at the proper speed to providethe required time cycle. Such constructions have been unsatisfactory formany applications because of the difficulty in varying, conveniently,the cam shaft speed over a wide range, and also because any change inthe cam shaft speed or time cycle varies the on and off timeproportionately.

Among the important objects of this invention are to provide a cycletimer in which the time cycle is adjustable over a wide timing range; toprovide a timer in which the periods of the cycle are adjustableindependently of each other; and to provide a timer in which theadjustments in timing are easily and conveniently made on a calibrateddial, particularly a dial which may be calibrated to show separately thetiming of the various periods. It is a further object to provide aswitch mechanism operated by the actuating member of the cycle timer asthe actuating member passes the same point moving in either direction.

To those skilled in the art, other objects and features of thisinvention will be readily apparent from the following specification andannexed drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments of theinvention in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the dial as- 1 Fig. 9 is a detail ofthe assembly involving the timer plate and the time controlled member;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the timer with a different type of switchsubstituted, and with the case removed;

Fig. 11 is a partial plan of the timer of Fig. 10 showing the switch;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section showing the switch taken on the planeof the line |2l2 in Fig. 10;

Figs, 13, 14, and 15 show the operating mechanism for the switch invarious positions, together with a showing of the relative location ofthe switch arms; and

Fig. 16 is an edge view of the structure shown in Fig. 13, looking inthe direction of the arrows H5 in that figure.

In Figs. 1 to 8, an embodiment of the invention is disclosed involving arepeating cycle timer in which the phases of a two-phase cycle areindependently timed. In this embodiment, an open front case 14 isprovided to which is hingedly connected a door [5 having therein aslight opening closed by a transparency l6 suitably secured in theopening. A timer frame is arranged to be secured to the open front ofthe case It by the frame plate I! being attached to brackets l8 securedwithin the case. A second frame plate I9 is rigidly attached to plate I!by a plurality of frame posts 20, the two plates I! and I9 beingparallel and spaced apart.

In order that the timer may be readily removed from the case, allelectrical connections are made to the timer through contacts carried byblock 2|, secured in the back of the case. Four contacts are provided onthe block, each of the type shown in Fig. 3, in which a terminal plate22 and bolt 23 are secured to the block 2! by a bolt 24, and in which aspring contact arm 25 is clamped between the terminal plate and theblock and is provided with an upwardly and forwardly inclined contactfinger 2t. Cooperating contact members are carried by the timer by ablock 21 supported by posts 28 attached to the rearward frame plate I9.These contact members comprise contact fingers 29, downwardly andrearwardly inclined into engagement with fingers 26, the fingers 29being secured to the block 21 by suitable bolts.

Referring now to Fig. 2, to one such pair of contact members 30 on block21 is communicated power through the mating terminals. The motor 3|which drives the timer is directly connected with the contact members3!], whereby, when current is communicated to the timer, the motor 3|will be continuously driven in one direction. A second pair of contactmembers 32 on block 21 is connected by conductors to the two switch arms33. These switch arms 33 are pivoted on a post 34 extending rearwardlyfrom the plate 19 and have a spring 35 positioned between their lowerends below the pivot post. A cam 35 carried on shaft 3'! is positionedbetween the upper ends of the switch arms, and the cam is so shaped thatupon rotation the contacts 33 move together and apart.

In general terms, the timer shown operates by producing alternatemovement of a member in opposite directions, the member producingactuation of the shaft 3'! upon each passage of the member past anintermediate index point. The extent of movement in each direction fromthe index point at which actuation occurs may be adjusted whereby toadjust each of the periods of the cycle.

To produce movement in opposite directions, a pair of similar gears 38,39 is mounted for rotation about a shaft 40 fixed in the rearframe-plate IS. The driving of these gears 38, 33 is effected through agear 4| fixed on the motor shaft which drives a gear 42 through gear 43whereby gears 42 and 43 rotate in opposite directions. The gear 42 has agear 44 non-rotatably secured thereto with the two being rotatablycarried on a post secured to frame plate 13, and the gear 44 in drivingengagement with the aforementioned gear 38. Likewise, a gear 45 isnon-rotatably secured to gear 43, the two being rotatably carried on apost secured to frame plate is with the gear 45 in driving engagementwith gear 35. By this arrangement, continuous opposite rotation of gears38 and 39 is effected.

The gear 38 is non-rotatably secured to a ratchet wheel 45 through asleeve 41 rotatably carried by shaft 4!]. A second ratchet wheel 48 isnon-rotatably secured to the other gear 39 through a sleeve 48 whichfits rotatably around the sleeve 41 between gear 33 and ratchet Wheel45. The inner sleeve 41 is made separable so that the outer sleeve maybe placed thereover.

The two ratchet wheels 46 and 48 have the teeth thereon directed inopposite directions to effect driving in opposite directions.

A timing plate 49, carrying an indicator finger 49a and secured to thesleeve 55 which is rotatably carried on the shaft 45 between the ratchetassembly and'the front frame plate l1, carries for rotation therewith areversibly acting pawl assembly means for effecting reversing of theaction of the pawl assembly, which means is best shown in Fig. 6, andmeans for cooperating with the switch operating shaft to effectactuation of the switch.

The pawl assembly 5i which is carried for oscillation as a unit on a pin52 extending rearwardly from the timing plate 49, is built up of a pairof plates 53 secured together in spaced relation by a pair of pins 54.Intermediate the ends of the plates 53, a sleeve 55 is secured inopenings in the plates. A pair of dogs 55 is interposed betweentheplates, both of which are supported at one end by the sleeve 55 andeach of which is supported at its other end by one of the pins 54. Thesleeve 55 is provided with a collar integral therewith positionedbetween the dogs 55 which is of a thickness to space the dogs a distanceequal A collar is placed on each of pins 54 vided with one or more teethsuitable for engaging with the cooperating ratchet wheel.

The forward plate 53 is provided with an arm 5! extending generallytoward the shaft 43. This arm 51 carries a pair of posts 58, 53extending forwardly therefrom through openings in the plate 49 (see Fig.6). The openings through which these posts 58 and 5-9 extend are solocated and are of suilicient size to permit oscillation of the pawlassembly 5!, about the shaft 52, into driving engagement with either ofthe ratchet wheels.

The means heretofore mentioned for oscillating the pawl (see Fig. 6)involves a lever secured to a sleeve rotatably carried by the sleeve(Figs. 3 and 4) between the timing plate 43 and the forward frame platell. The arm ti of lever 50 extends outwardly from shaft 43 sufficientlyto engage adjustable stop pins 52, 53 which are hereinafter more fullydescribed. A second arm 54 of lever 53 has a finger of geartooth typewhich engages between two similar fingers carried by a lever 55pivotally mounted on post 65 secured to timing plate 49. Uponcounterclockwise movement of lever 5i with respect to timing plate 43from the position shown in Fig. 6, the lever 55 will be raised. Twolinks 51 are separately pivoted to the lever adjacent the end thereof,and are biased together by a spring connecting their free ends. Theselinks 6'! are each provided with a roller near their free ends, theserollers effecting rapid movement of the pin 58 therebetween, upenmovement of the lever 65. Thus upon raising of the lever as viewed inFig. 6, the links 6?. will move upwardly until the dead center betweenthe rollers passes the greatest diameter of pin 53, whereupon the pinwill be forced downward.

In order to increase the speed of actuation of the pawl assembly withrespect to movement of the lever 60 and thereby increase the accuracy ofthe time of operation, an arm 68 is formed with the lever 53, and isprovided with a notch 59 in which the pin 59 carried by the pawlassembly is movable. The notch 68 is so located that when the lever 50is oscillated relatively to the timing plate 49 in either direction itmoves free of the pin 59 until just slightly prior to dead centerpositioning of the rollers on the pin 53, whereupon the end of the notchpushes the pin enough to send the pin 58 past dead center.

From the above description it can be seen that when the pawl is engagedso as to rotate the timing plate 45 clockwise and the lever arm 6iengages a stop terminating rotation thereof, the engagement of the pawlassembly will be reversed, reversing the direction of rotation of timingplate 49. The same occurs upon rotation in the opposite direction.

In order to efiect ready adjustment of the stop pins 52 and 53 about theshaft 45, the front frame plate I! is formed with an annular opening '55therein. The portion ll of the plate within the annular opening issupported by the shaft 45 and a shouldered nut 12 on the forward end ofthe shaft. A pair of arms it, 74 is supported on the nut between theshoulder and the portion H of the frame plate IT for free rotation aboutthe shaft 45. The free end of arm '53 is provided with a bolt having thepin 52 extending axially from the head thereof, and with the headrearwardly of the annular opening. The shank of the bolt extends throughthe annular opening, through an opening in arm 13, and has a knob 15 onthe forward end thereof. The arm T3 is further provided with anindicating pointer 16 for cooperation with the scale 77. The arm M isprovided with a similar bolt and knob assembly for supporting the stoppin 63 and for securing it in adjusted position, and is provided with anindicating pointer 13 for cooperation with the scale 79. The scales Tiand 79 have their markings in radial alignment and are calibrated inopposite directions.

While any suitable means may be provided for turning the shaft 3? whenthe timing plate 49 passes a fixed position, traveling in eitherdirection, there is shown in the embodiment disclosed a Geneva like typeof operating means which is of particular utility in this device as itproduces rapid turning of the shaft and as it holds the shaft in theturned position at all times, preventing the switch from becoming out ofphase.

In the switch operating means shown, a notch 80 is formed in the edge ofthe timing plate as, and two pins 3! are secured to the rear surface ofthe plate adjacent to the notch. A gear-like member 82 is positioned onthe shaft with three equally spaced teeth 83, 84 lying in the plane ofthe plate and two teeth 85 positioned in a plane rearwardly of the platefor coaction with the pins BI, and half way between the tooth 83 andeach of teeth 84.

When the plate rotates counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig.9, the tooth 83 is moved into the notch 89 when the tooth 85 adjacentthe plate contacts pin 8!. The shaft 3? will be turned one-third of arotation, after which the tooth 83 and the right hand tooth 84 will rideon the periphery of the timing plate 49. The timing plate 49 is madecircular to coact at all times with tooth 83 and one of the teeth 84 inmaintaining the shaft in its moved position.

The notch 3t) and cooperating switch operating member may be placed atany point about the shaft 40. It is desirable, however, to have thenotch in the disc spaced circumferentially of the disc from the leverarm 6| which effects reversal a distance equal to the spacing of the ofthe timer at any particular time, the free end i of the lever arm 65 isbifurcated and a pointer the is secured to the timing plate 49 at themean operating position of the lever arm. The notch in the end of thelever arm 6! is of sufficient size to permit adequate operating movementof the 5' lever arm whereby, if the pawl assembly is manually turned outof its operative position, the pin 58 will not pass dead center betweenthe rollers supported by toggle arms 6'5. Further, the notch issufficiently small as to bias the pawl assembly at all times in its thenoperative position. The pointer 48a is positioned to extend through theannular opening in the frame plate H.

In operation, the motor 3| drives the gears 38 and 353 continuously inopposite directions and therefore, through the sleeve connections, alsohe ratchet wheels 175 and 43. lfhe pawl assembly will be in operatingposition controlled by the lever arm El. As shown in Fig. 6, the leverarm El will hold the in contact with the ratchet wheel which rotatesclockwise, thereby effecting movement of the timing plate 69 clockwise.When the lever arm 5! contacts the adjustable stop pin 63, it will bestopped, but the timing plate 49 will continue to rotate, therebyturning the lever arm 6| counterclockwise with respect to the timingplate. This as heretofore described. shifts the pawl assembly intoengagement with the other ratchet wheel, resulting in counter" clockwiserotation of the timing plate. When the pointer 49a reaches the 0marking, the switch shaft 3'! will be turned, thereby turning cam 36 andoperating the switch. Counterclockwise rotation will be continued untillever arm 61 is reversed by stop pin 62, whereupon clockwise rotationwill be resumed. I

In the embodiment of the timer of this invention, shown in Figs. 10 to15, there is disclosed a snap action switch, substituted for the switchshown in Figs. 1 to 9. When the timing plate 3-9 is run slowly in orderto increase the maximum total cycle, it is desirable to employ a snapaction switch. However, the heretofore known types of such switches arenot particularly desirable for this service as they do not snap uponmovement in opposite directions in the same position of the movablemember, which in this timer would result in the switch being opened andclosed at different positions of the timing plate 49. While it should beunderstood that the scales can be calibrated to allow switch actuationat considerably divergent points about the timing plate, actuation atthe same position is desirable for purposes of simplicity ofcalibration.

As shown, in Figs. 11 and 12, three contact arms 86, 8?, 83 are providedwhich are pivoted on shaft 88 carried in bracket 96 which is secured tothe rear surface of the frame plate [9. Springs 8!, individual to eachof the contact arms, bias the upper end of each arm forwardly towardframe plate l9. The contact arm 8% provided with a contact point Q2facing rearwardly, i. e., away from plate W, at its upper end The middlecontact arm 81 is provided with a pair of contact points, one point 93facing forwardly and being supported in alignment with contact point 92for cooperation therewith, and the other 94 facing rearwardly. The thirdcontact arm 88 is provided with a single contactpoint 555 facingforwardly in line with contact point 94 for cooperation therewith.Positioning stops 95 and 97 secured to frame plate l9 are provided inconjunction with each of contact arms 86 and $8 to limit forwardmovement of the upper ends of these contact arms. Stop 95 cooperatingwith contact 86 is sufficiently short that, in the normal positions ofarms 86 and 8d, the contact points carried by arm 8'! do not form abridge therebetween. In normal spring-urged positioning of contact armM, the circuit is closed between contact points carried by arms and 8?,and in moved positioning of arm 87, which is hereinaf er referred to assupported position, the circuit is close-d between the contact pointscarried by arms 3? and 83, as shown in Fig. 11, by means hereinafterdescribed. Suitable electrical connection from the contact points ismade to terminals on the block 21.

A contact operating arm 53 pivoted on stud 99 carried by frame plate l9extends below cam I fill, which is secured to shaft 37, to a positionbetween the frame plate l9 and the contact arm- 81. A spring Hill isprovided to urge the operating arm 98 upwardly into contact-supportingposition. The free end of contact operating arm 98 is provided on itsrearward surface with a cam surface lfiZ inclined to cooperate withcontact arm 81 to move this contact arm into supported position uponspring-urged movement of the operating arm. Arms 98 and N33, pivoted,respective'l'y, on posts 9!) and MM, lie in the same vertical plane. Thearm 98 has on its forward surface a boss Ill, while arm I93 has on itsrearward surface a lug I05.

The post or stud I M is carried by the frame plate 59 and extends abovethe cam liiii and therebeyond to a position adjacent the upper end ofcontact arm 55?. The lug H95 on arm Hi3, when positioned between thecontact arm 8? and the frame plate l9, holds the contact arm insupported position. Flanges maybe provided on the free ends of arms 98and H33 as shown at 18311, Fig. 11, to space these arms properly fromthe frame plate E9, the flanges moving in contact with the frame plate.

A latching member lilfi is pivoted on the stud I01 and comprises a pairof arms Hit and Mt. This latching member swings in a vertical planebetween the plate l9 and the arms 98 and m3.

The post ill limits the downward swinging of arm i I 63 and the lateralswinging of arm Hi] occasioned by spring Iiliia. This will insure thatthe lower extremity of arm Hi! may be in the path of the boss II! whenthe arm 98 is released for upward swinging motion, if member N16 has notbeen moved laterally by cam I09 until the lower end of the arm HE] isout of the way of lug III. This post 9'! also limits the forwardswinging motion of the contact arm 88, biased by the spring 9!. Thispermits the separation of contacts M and 95 when arm 81 moves forwardlyto close the gap between contacts 92 and 93. The spring H3311, providedbetween the contact supporting arm m3 and the latching member lfiii, isto bias both in clockwise direction.

In the operation of the snap switch, starting from the position shown inFig. 13, which i the position during one of the timed periods of thecycle, in which the operating arm 98 is lowered and the contact arm 81is supported by the supporting arm I03, the lug I being between arm 87and arm I83, the shaft 31 will turn from the position showncounterclockwise, upon the indicator finger 49a passing the 0 index.Upon counterclockwise movement of the plate 49 and the indicator 49a,the cam Hit! allows the operating arm to rise until the boss Ill engagesthe latching arm Ilfll. At substantially identical positions, theshoulder H2 comes into alignment with the shoulder H3 on the arm 98 anda high part of the cam Hit? moves the contact supporting arm H13 upwardout of supporting position,

as shown in Fig. 14.. The contact arm 81 at that time, therefore, movesto normal position under action of its cooperating spring SH. Furthermovement of shaft 31 brings the cam E09 into engagement with latch armI08 effecting movement thereof which releases the boss H! from thelatching arm I ID, as shown in Fig. 14. Release of the latch allows theshoulder M3 on the contact operating arm 98 to move into engagement withshoulder H2 on cam mu, thereby holding the arm 98 out of supportingposition. Upon clockwise movement of the shaft 31, after staying in theposition shown in Fig. 14 during the second period of the cycle, at theswitchoperating position of cam I90, above described, the shoulder onarm 93 clears the shoulder M2 on the cam l iii, allowing the arm Q8 tomove into supporting position as shown in Fig. 15. Further movement ofthe cam I68 clockwise depresses the arm 93 to a position releasing thelatching arm H0 from the boss III for clockwise movement, as shown inFig. 13.

While I have above described a specific embodiment of my timer inconjunction with two specific switches particularly suited to beingcontrolled by this timer, it is to be understood that the scope of thisinvention is not limited to this particular disclosure, but should beconsidered as limited only by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A timer comprising, a timer means movable in oppesite directions,driving means for moving said timer means in either of said directions,two reversing means, said timer means including means movable therewithfor operative engagement with one of said reversing means upon movementin either of said directions and cooperating therewith upon suchoperative engagement for effecting reversal of the direction in whichsaid driving means moves said timer means, and means actuated by saidtimer means upon movement in each direction thereof at a position of thetimer means intermediate the positions of said timer means when inoperative engagement with said reversing means.

2. In a timer, the combination comprising a rotatable timer means, apair of rotatable drive mounted for rotation on the same axis as thetimer means, means for driving said drive means in opposite directions,engageable means carried by said timer means for engagement withdisengagement from one of said drive means for effecting rotation ofsaid timer means in one d ection upon engagement thereof, engageable anscarried by said timer means for engagement with disengagement from theother of said drive means for effecting rotation of said timer means inthe opposite direction upon engagement thereof, and a pair of stopmeans, said timer means including actuating means movable into operativeengagement with said step means,

step means and said actuating means cooperating upon operativeengagement of the actuating means with either of said stop means toshift one of said engageab-le means out of engage and the other intoengagement.

3. A timer compri. ng a timer means, driving for d1 /mg said timer meansin opposite .=".-S actuated by said timer means by movement of saidtimer means in one of said directions through a fied position of saidtimer means, said actuated means also being actuated by movement of saidtimer means in the other of said directions through a fixed position,and a pair of adjustable reversing means to effect reversal of thedirection in which the driving means drives said timer means atindependently adjustable times with re .:6Ct to the actuation of saidactuated means.

4. A timer com-prising, a timer means suppored for rotation in eitherdirection, a pair of driving discs mounted for rotation in oppositedirections on the same axis as said timer means, a driving means carriedby said timer means shiftable to either of two positions in which it isseverally cooperable with one of said discs to drive said timer means inthe one or the other of said directions depending on the position inwhich it is shifted, shifting means carried by said timer means formovement to either of two positions with respect to said timer means andfor rotation therewith in either of said positions, movement of saidshifting means from either of said positions to the other of saidpositions thereof effecting shifting of said driving means from one ofsaid positions thereof to the other of said positions thereof, andadjustable means fixable non-rotatably for effecting movement of saidshifting means from either of the positions thereof to the other of saidpositions thereof.

5. A timer comprising a timer means movable in opposite directions,means actuated by said timer means upon movement of the timer means inopposite directions respectively through a position thereof, means formoving said timer means in said opposite directions, and means forlimiting the extent of movement of said timer means in each directionfrom said position and for efiecting reversal of movement at the extentso limited from either direction of movement to the other.

6. A timer comprising a timer means, driving means for driving the timermeans through a fixed position in opposite directions at controllabletimes, a cam, means controlled by said timer means to eiTect oppositeoscillation of said .cam upon movement of said timer means through saidposition in opposite directions, a switch, and snap action means foreffecting opening and closing of said switch upon oscillation of saidcam in opposite directions at the same rotative position of said cam inboth of said directions, respectively.

7. A switch, snap action means for opening and closing said switch, anda cam mounted for oscillation in opposite directions cooperating withsaid snap action means to effect opening and closing of said switch atthe same rotative .position of said cam upon movement of said cam inboth of said directions, respectively.

CARL LUDWIG ANDERSON.

